Floor covering



Dec. 17, 1957 c. K. BANKS 2,816,852

FLOOR COVERING Filed July 14, 1954 'IIIIIIIIIIIIJ 4 Fig. 3.

INVENTOR. C/anence Ker/gem Banks BY M, M, 240v??? ATTORNE United StatesPatent FLOOR COVERING Clarence Kenneth Banks, Westfield, N. 1., assignorto Metal & Thermit Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of NewJersey Application July 14, 1954, Serial No. 443,257

4 Claims. (Cl. 154-49) This invention relates to a long-lasting andresilient floor covering.

Although vinyl chloride polymers have been used in the manufacture offloor covering tiles andsheets, certain disadvantages have rendered itsuse undesirable. The good surface and wearing qualities of vinylchloride polymers are sacrificed when said formulation is admixed withother materials necessary in the manufacture of a suitable floorcovering. Furthermore, vinyl chloride polymers are expensive and whenmade less expensive by the addition of limestone and/or asbestos, theformulation becomes brittle and loses other desirable properties. Stillanother disadvantage of the vinyl chloride polymers is their lack ofresiliency, which is a desirable feature of a floor covering.Accordingly, the advantages of the vinyl chloride polymers have beenutilized and the disadvantages thereof avoided by the development of thepresent floor covering.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figs. 1 and 2 are vertical cross-sections of the present floor covering.

Fig. 3 is a schematic view showing an apparatus for making the floorcovering of the present invention.

In accordance with the present invention, the floor covering includes asmooth dense vinyl upper surface and a substrate of vinyl sponge. Theupper smooth hard vinyl surface provides the long wearing qualities andthe vinyl sponge substrate provides the resiliency to the floorcovering, thereby resulting in a superior floor covering. Any vinylchloride polymer formulation capable of producing a hard but not brittleplastic, including some unplasticized, or rigid, formulations, may beutilized for the upper dense wearing surface. Similarly, any typicalvinyl sponge formulation may be used for the substrate. Morespecifically, the vinyl plastic formulation, utilized in the manufactureof the present floor covering contains a vinyl chloride polymer as themajor ingredient, plus various plasticizers, stabilizers, coloringmaterials, fillers and loading agents. The particular formulationutilized is dependent on the degree of flexibility desired, theparticular pattern or design, the weight of the finished product, andother similar considerations.

The long-lasting, resilient fioor covering including a smooth hard vinylupper surface and a vinyl sponge substrate may be prepared by expandingthe vinyl sponge composition against a smooth or patterned hot platewhereby the surface in contact with the plate becomes compacted. Anothermethod of preparing the present floor coverings comprises heat sealing asmooth hard vinyl sheet to a thicker sheet of vinyl sponge. Stillanother method comprises the application of a sponge formulation to apreformed hard smooth vinyl sheet, and beating them between heated pressplatens. In the latter two methods, the two layers of the floor coveringare independently formed and laminated; whereas in the first mentionedmethod the two layers are formed and laminated simultaneously. Variousdesigns or pat-.

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terns and colors may be incorporated in the dense upper layer or betweenthe layers or in the vinyl plastic formulation which is expanded when incontact with the hot plate.

Figures 1 and 2 show the structure of the vinyl floor covering of thepresent invention, which consists of a hard, smooth vinyl upper surface1 and a vinyl sponge lower layer 2. The line of demarcation between thetwo layers is more clearly defined as shown in Fig. 2 when the twolayers are independently formed and laminated. Fig. 1 illustrates a lessdefinite line of demarcation between the two layers when both are formedand laminated simultaneously.

The temperature employed in the hydraulic press or similar equipment iselevated above the softening point of the vinyl plastic formulation inorder to enable said composition to flow onto the heated plates of thepress. Under these conditions the gas forming reactions in the spongeformulation take place and the porous under-layer is formed. Thepreferred temperature of the heated platens is in the range 325335 F.

The length of time of subjecting said plastic formulation to the heatedplates in the press is the time necessary for formation of the sponge,and for the plastic materials to flow enough to properly follow thesmooth or patterned surface of the platens. This is usually accomplishedafter a period of about ten minutes.

The amount of pressure applied to the platsic formulaiton situatedbetween the two plates is not critical, and need not be high. It shouldbe sufficient to keep the plastic mass always in contact with bothplatens. In this way there is formed a two layer fioor coveringincluding an upper smooth hard durable layer and a soft spongy backinglayer, the suggested thickness of said floor covering being about inch.

The following examples are further illustrative of the presentinvention, and it will be understood that the invention is not limitedthereto:

EXAMPLE I Vinyl sponge floor tile The following formulation was preparedby grinding the ingredients together in a mortar.

Parts by weight Geon 121 (a homopolymer polyvinyl chloride resin ofplastisol grade) -u Paraplex G-53 (a polymeric plasticizer) 20Di-Z-ethyl hexyl phthalate 6O Chlorowax 40 (a chlorinated paraflinhaving 40% chlorine) 60 Water ground calcium carbonate 40 Blowingagent-Cologen oxy (bis-benzene sulfonyl hydraside) a product ofNangatuck Chemical) 5 Stabilizer l Ultramarine blue-dye 2 The platens ofan hydraulic press were heated to about 325-335" F. The formulationabove, which was a soft blue paste, was poured on the platens, spreadout and pressed to a thickness of about A: After 10 minutes the productwas removed from the press as a spongy mat having fine air pockets, witha relatively smooth and hard surface.

The addition of more filler and blowing agent results in a floorcovering possessing even more favorable wearing and resiliencyproperties.

3 EXAMPLE II A thin plastic sheet is made by milling the followingingredients together:

Parts by weight Polyvinyl chloride resin 30 Di-Z-ethyl hexyl phthalate13 Calcium carbonate 35 Asbestos 20 Titanium dioxide 1 Stabilizer 1Color, as desired.

A piece of such sheeting was fitted into a hot, recessed platen. On itwas placed a portion of the following sponge formulation:

Parts by weight Geon 121 100 Paraplex G-53 20 Di-Z-ethyl hexyl phthalate40 Chlorowax 40 70 Water ground calcium carbonate 75 Blowing agentStabilizer l The combination was pressed to about /s" thickness and heldbetween the two platens for about minutes. There was produced a tilewith a hard smooth surface backed by a soft sponge layer.

EXAMPLE IIl Vinyl floor tile with sponge backing A rigid polyvinylchloride plastic sheet is made by milling together the followingingredients:

Parts Polyvinyl chloride resin 100 Titanium dioxide 5 Stabilizer 2-3Stearic acid A A sheet of any desired thickness is then removed from themill. A section of this sheet is cut out and put into a hot recessedplaten. The sponging formulation of Example II is poured in. This iscovered over and heated in the press. A tile is recovered having a hardvinyl tile surface with a soft sponge like backing.

The quantities of the two ingredients can be controlled so that thefinished tile recovered has an overall thickness of A3", and anapproximate weight of oz. per square foot. This presents a favorablefloor tile using economic quantities of ingredients, and having lightweight, smoothness, durability and resiliency.

The method of Ex. III can be made into a continuous process, as shown byFig. 3, wherein the surface tile 3, is sent through a mill 4, onto acutting machine 5. A section of the milled surface tile is cut andplaced into a. recessed platen 6. Sponging material from receptacle 7 ismetered through line 8, onto the recessed platen 6 containing the cutsection of the surface tile. A doctor blade 9 levels off the amount ofsponging material delivered onto the surface tile and fills the recessevenly. Since sponging material tends to cause curling of the finishedtile, judicious use of this material is necessary. A cover 10 is put onthe recessed platen thereby sealing the material in the recess. Thesealed recessed platen containing the surface tile and sponging materialis passed through an oven 11 for curing wherein the surface tile ispolished at the same time that the sponge is blown. This results in theformation of the improved floor covering of the present invention whichconsists of a smooth dense upper vinyl layer and a vinyl sponge lowerlayer intimately bound together as shown by Fig. 2.

I have described what I believe to be the best embodiments of myinvention. I do not wish, however, to be confined to the embodimentsshown, but what I desire .to cover by Letters Patent is set forth in theappended claims.

What is claimed by Letters Patent is:

1. A long wearing, resilient, two layer homopolymer 4 polyvinyl chlorideresin composition floor tile being substantially rectangular in shapeand about M3 in thickness, and consisting essentially of an uppersection and a lower substrate which lie substantially parallel to eachother, said upper section comprising a substantially homogeneous,smooth, dense, hard, wear resistant layer of homopolymer polyvinylchloride resin composition, and said lower substrate comprising asubstantially homogeneous, resilient sponge layer of homopolymerpolyvinyl chloride resin composition, said upper section being formedfrom a composition comprising homopolymer polyvinyl chloride, coloringagent and stabilizer, wherein said homopolymer polyvinyl chloridecomprises the major constituent and not more than parts by weight ofsaid upper section, and wherein said coloring agent and stabilizerconstitute minor constituents of said upper section, and not more than 5parts by weight and 3 parts by Weight, respectively, of said uppersection, said lower substrate being formed from a homopolymer polyvinylchloride resin composition comprising homopolymer polyvinyl chloride asthe major constituent, which constitutes no more than 100 parts byweight of said lower substrate, and as minor constituents, a stabilizer,polymeric plasticizer, di-Z-ethyl hexyl phthalate, chlorowax, calciumcarbonate and blowing agent, said minor constituents being present innor more than the following quantities: Parts by weight 1 StabilizerPolymeric plasticizer 20 Di-Z-ethyl hexyl phthalate 60 Chlorowax 70Calcium carbonate 75 Blowing agent 5 composition: Parts by weightHomopolymer polyvinyl chloride 100 Polymeric plasticizer 2O Di-Z-ethylhexyl phthalate 60 Chlorowax 60 Water ground calcium carbonate 40Oxy(bis-benzene sulfonyl hydraside) 5 Stabilizer 1 Coloring ag nt 2 3. Along wearing, resilient, two layer homopolymer polyvinyl chloride resincomposition floor tile being substantially rectangular in shape andabout 4; in thickness, and consisting essentially of an upper sectionand a lower substrate which lie substantially parallel to each other,said upper section comprising a substantially homogeneous, smooth,dense, hard, wear resistant layer of homopolymer polyvinyl chlorideresin composition, and said lower substrate comprising a substantiallyhomogeneous resilient sponge layer of polyvinyl chloride resincomposition, said upper section being formed of a homopolymer polyvinylchloride resin composition comprising the following composition:

Parts by weight 0 Homopolymer polyvinyl chloride 3 Di-Z-ethyl hexylphthalate 13 Calcium carbonate 35 Asbestos 20 Titanium dioxide V 1Stabilizer 1 said lower substrate being formed of a homopolymerpolyvinyl chloride resin composition comprising the followingcomposition:

Parts by weight 4. A long wearing resilient, two layer homopolymerpolyvinyl chloride resin composition floor tile being substantiallyrectangular in shape and about Vs in thickness, and consistingessentially of an upper section and a lower substrate which liesubstantially parallel to each other, said upper section comprising asubstantially homogeneous, smooth, dense, hard, wear resistant layer ofhomopolymer polyvinyl chloride resin composition, and said lowersubstrate comprising a substantially homogeneous resilient sponge layerof polyvinyl chloride resin composition, said upper section being formedof a homopolymer polyvinyl chloride resin composition comprising thefollowing composition:

Parts by weight and said lower substrate being formed of a homopolymerpolyvinyl chloride resin composition comprising the followingcomposition:

Parts by weight Homopolymer polyvinyl chloride 100 Polymeric plasticizer20 Di-2-ethyl hexyl phthalate Chlorowax Water ground calcium carbonatePm, OXy(bis-benzene sulfonyl hydraside) 5 Stabilizer 1 References Citedin the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 842,356 Stone Jan. 29,1907 1,584,694 Miller May 11,1926 1,614,853 Schwartz Jan. 18, 19272,324,735 Spanel July 30, 1943 2,382,784 Emery Aug. 14, 1945 2,570,182Daly et a1. Oct. 9, 1951 2,586,275 Toulmin Feb. 19, 1952 2,694,871Rollman Nov. 23, 1954 2,744,340 Gerber May 8, 1956

1. A LONG WEARING, RESILIENT, TWO LAYER HOMOPOLYMER POLYVINYL CHLORIDERESIN COMPOSITION FLOOR TILE BEING SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR IN SHAPEAND ABOUT 1/2" IN THICKNESS, AND CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF AN UPPERSECTION AND A LOWER SUBSTRATE WHICH LIE SUBSTANRIALLY PARALLEL TO EACHOTHER, SAID UPPER SECTION COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY HOMOGENEOUS,SMOOTH, DENSE, HARD, WEAR RESISTANT LAYER OF HOMOPOLYMER POLYVINYLCHLORIDE RESIN COMPOSITION AND SAID LOWER SUBSTRATE COMPRISING ASUBSTANTIALLY HOMOGENEOUS, RESILIENT SPONGE LAYER OF HOMOPOLYMERPOLYVINYL CHLORIDE RESIN COMPOSITION,SAID UPPER SECTION BEING FORMEDFROM A COMPOSITION COMPRISING HOMOPOLYMER POLYVINYL CHLORIDE, COLORINGAGENT AND STABILIZER, WHEREIN SAID HOMOPOLYMER POLYVINYL CHLORIDECOMPRISES THE MAJOR